What´s going on Family?!?
I do pray all is well with you all!! It´s been a joy getting to talk to some of you by phone!!!
Well…just wanted to share a bit what I´ve been learning while being here on the race and being here in Costa Rica.
Everyone knows about cause and effect….
You stick your hand over a fire, you´ll get burned…
You eat nothing but sweets your whole life and never brush your teeth, you´ll get cavities…
You just live life on this earth, you´ll experience ups and downs, mountains and valleys, joy and sadness, etc. It rains on the just and the unjust alike.
But one thing I´ve learned…even before this race was that what we do in the natural realm affects the spiritual realm and what we do in the spiritual realm affects the natural realm. Although I knew this…more and more the Lord is opening my eyes to see the reality of these affects working within us as a team and squad and working within humanity.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
And in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 he says, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
I´m not really talking about spiritual warfare…although these scriptures could be totally applicable, but I´m talking about the fact that we are taking part and being involved in two realms at once. And of course it´s the spiritual and the natural realms.
As Christians, we decide everyday if we want to walk in joy or if we want to be angry. We decide if we do or do not want to forgive, we decide if we want to show someone hospitality or give them the cold shoulder, we decide if we want to listen to the Spirit of God or the lies of satan. WE either choose life or death. And as this world is passing away, and as God has been showing me these things at a deeper level than what I thought I knew, it has become obvious to me that I have not always been quick to choose LIFE. It was much easier for me to choose the LIE.
So, I am left with 2 decisions…to choose the way of the worldly and dark realm…the natural realm OR I can choose the way of God, the way of light, the way of truth, the way of LIFE.
God told the Israelites in Deut. 30 concerning His word that what He was commanding them was not too difficult or beyond their reach. It was not up in heaven so they would have to ask who would ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to them so that they could obey it. That it wasn´t beyond the sea so that they would have to ask who would cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to them so that they may obey it. He said that the word was very near them…in their mouths and in their hearts so that they could obey it.
This day God layed before them life and prosperity, death and destruction.
“For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess” Deut. 30:16.
This was God´s command to them and at the same time He left them the option to choose. The next couple of verses tell us that if they chose not to do what He commanded that they would be cut off from all that God had in store for them. If you don´t choose life, you choose death. God is Eternal Life. Outside of Him, what, really, is life? It´s chaos, far from fulfilling, deceiving, and empty. I´ve seen that in the people I´ve come across while in Africa and here in Costa Rica. And at periods in my life, I´ve lived my life in the trap of the lie. I didn´t know what LIFE was.
So here we are IN the world. Here we are with influences all around us…worldly influences, spiritual influences. What will we choose? Deuteronomy 30 ends with these two verses: “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord you God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and He will give you many years in the land he swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
The choice is ours. Life or Death. Blessings or Cursings. Whatever we choose, God will stay true to His promise. It´s a sobering thought…the justice and righteousness of God. As for me, I choose life NOW!!.
Much love to you all!!!
Enjoy the Journey!!!
